A/N: Here's 2/5 in this week's installments! Enjoy!

On a side note, can I just say how amazing I think Maxon is as a character? I've re-read the books now probably five or six times, and every time he still sweeps me off my feet or takes my breath away. Aside from being incredibly romantic, he's just really supportive, loyal, and true to his beliefs. Seeing him as a father in The Heir and The Crown was a really cool thing. Okay, rant over. Read away!


From The Heir

I found her alone in the Women's Room. A plaque beside the door declared that the space was actually the Newsome Library, but I'd never heard anyone call it by that name except for Mom on occasion.


"I'm so nervous," I say to Marlee as we stand by the front doors waiting for our guests to get here.

"Why? You just saw them all a month ago at the ball, and nothing bad happened."

"I know, but there were other people there, and cameras."

"There will be cameras tonight, America."

"Yeah, but just for a little bit, and then it's just us. What if they all still hate me? What if something happens? What if they all turn on me? What if no one shows up?"

Marlee rolls her eyes. "America, I don't think any of them hates you. It's been almost a year since the Selection ended. If any of them still had delusions about being chosen by Maxon, I'm sure they disappeared pretty soon after the wedding. Besides, we could all see during the Selection that he was in love with you. We all knew we never stood a chance."

"Alright, I get it, I get it. You guys tell me that all the time. It would be really great if we could just stop talking about how clueless I was during that whole process. I'm with him now, isn't that all that matters?"

"That's what I'm trying to tell you, crazy lady. We're all relieved you finally figured out how to be together. Now, you better find a new topic to talk about tonight because I guarantee that none of these girls want to spend the whole night reassuring you that they were happy you got married."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Sylvia walking towards us with her usual peppy pace.

"The Women's Room is all set Your Majesty. We've put plenty of pillows, blankets, and mattresses in there. Everyone should sleep comfortably. Although, I don't know why you girls can't just sleep in rooms like normal people."

"It's for the comradery and the friendship of it all, Sylvia. We're all sharing one big room and spending time together. It's less formal," Marlee attempts to explain.

"And less dignified," she retorts, "no queen has ever done this. To think, there will be pictures of you sleeping on the floor."

"Sylvia, you do realize that I'm only 18, right? Most 18-year-old girls have slumber parties all the time."

"Well, you aren't most girls."

"Alright ladies, let's not fight right now. Everyone will be getting here soon," Marlee interjects before I can start a heated argument.

We stand in awkward silence for several more minutes before there's finally a knock on the door. The first girl has arrived.

It only takes about thirty minutes for all the girls to get here and to be shuffled into the Women's Room. There's a low din in the room as everyone is involved in several different conversations. I lightly tap a spoon on a nearby glass to get their attention.

"Good evening, girls. I promise that this evening is in no way formal or strictly planned. We do have some pictures scheduled first, but then the rest of the time is ours. But before we do anything else, I have a few things I want to say." I take a breath and look at all the faces around me. No one seems annoyed, yet, so that's a good sign. "First, I just want to thank you all for coming. It really is great every time I get to see you, but I've been so excited for this night because it's just going to be us! I want to hear all about what's been going on with you guys and share all the gossip and play all the slumber party games. I also have a more serious meaning for getting all of you together this evening." I reach for the covering plaque laying on the table and brace myself so I can get through this without crying.

"Most of you probably remember Celeste Newsome, and while you may not have fond memories of her, I can assure you that she was just as insecure and scared as the rest of us; she just had a much different coping mechanism. In her last few weeks here, we grew to be close, and I got to know the soft girl underneath the hard shell. Her death was completely unnecessary and I'll regret every day that I couldn't do more for her. So, in her memory and because she can't be with us here tonight, I am rededicating this room after her." I pull the sheet off the plaque and display it to the rest of the girls. "This room is now memorialized as the Newsome Library."

The room is silent and I worry that maybe no one else appreciated Celeste like me; maybe this was a mistake to bring it up. It's Kriss who breaks the silence.

"Shouldn't there be more books in here to qualify as a library? Also, did Celeste really read that much?" There's a low chuckle around the room, and Kriss gives me a warm smile. I know she's just joking, and I feel the tension leave my shoulders.

"Yeah, I think Library was just a title, but considering the other library is where our friendship began, I figured it was appropriate." There's a somber silence as we all take it in, and I continue before it can get too quiet again. "Alright, that's enough of the sad stuff. I don't think Celeste would want us to waste this time on silly emotions. Let's do what she loved best: posing for some pictures!"

We spend what feels like hours (really it was just 40 minutes) taking some posed group pictures and some "candid" pictures, before the photographers are satisfied that they have enough. I spend time catching up with everybody. Some of the girls are engaged and I get a lot of invitations to weddings. Others are talking about exciting opportunities to write books, be on TV, or do some other public activity. It seems that the rest of the other girls went back to a pretty simple life. Those girls seem pretty content to live quiet simple lives.

Eventually, and I don't know how, we end up playing a game of truth or dare...or really a game of truth. Most of us don't take the dare option, although Natalie is pretty eager to do any sort of wacky thing she's challenged to. Neither Marlee or I have gotten very many questions, but eventually one comes around to Marlee that I wasn't expecting.

"What's it like not having a caste?" Natalie asks as she returns from stealing one of Maxon's cameras. I wonder how long it will take him to notice it's gone.

Marlee looks pretty shocked, but takes a moment to compose herself and answers the question. "Well, at first, it wasn't really much of anything. Carter and I had been living in the palace doing little odds and ends. We were supposed to be eights, but Maxon, being the kind person we all know he is, didn't shove us out. So for a while, there wasn't much of a difference, but now..." she paused for a minute, struggling to find words to fit her thoughts. "It's...I don't know how to explain it. On the one hand, I feel like it's so right to just live without a caste, you know? I live without some silly number telling me who I have to be. But, it's also this really heavy weight. Carter and I were the first to be free of it...and that's a priveledge I will always carry with me, and I'll be in debt to America and Maxon for the rest of my life."

We all sit and take it in. The girls must know about all the turmoil, and I'm sure some of them have witnessed it first-hand. The process of eliminating the castes has been long and strenuous, and they must know that eventually they'll all be stripped of their number, too.

"Well, I think it's pretty cool, and I can't wait until the whole system is gone," Natalie pipes back in, and to my surprised all of the girls nod in agreement.

I clear my throat, eager to return to the carefree atmosphere from earlier. "Alright, Marlee, I think it's your turn to ask someone a question."

Marlee looks around the room dramatically before her eyes land on me. "Okay, America, truth or dare?"

I see the devilish looks in her eye, and afraid of what she might make do, I answer, "Truth."

"What's Maxon like in bed?"

My eyes go wide and I feel my face warm with blush. There a few chuckles and gasps from the other girls in the circle but I can see they're all eager to hear the answer.

"Oh, come on, that's not fair. I can't answer that."

"You said truth," I hear a deep voice from across the room, and as if I couldn't already be embarrassed enough, I see my husband leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face.

Now I'm really unsure of what to do, and I see some of the other girls are just as shocked.

"You do know this is the Women's Room, right?" I hear Elise ask in a louder voice than is usual for her.

"I know, but someone seems to have run off with my camera," he answers looking over at Natalie who is failing to find a hiding place for the object in question.

I walk over and pick up the camera before taking it to him. "Alright, here you go, now please leave."

"No, I think I want to hear your answer."

I stand up on my tiptoes and whisper in his ear. "You definitely already know the answer." I place a quick peck on his cheek and step away. "Now, as your queen and the one in charge of the Women's Room, I order you to leave."

"Okay, I'm going. Have a good evening ladies!"

I watch him walk away with a small smile before returning to the group.

"Look at you!" I hear Tiny call out as I walk back.

"What?"

"You are so smitten!" Emmica answers.

I laugh and look back at the closed door. "Well, he's a pretty great guy...guys I don't want to talk about this, isn't it awkward?"

I hear a chorus of no's and see them shaking their heads.

"Believe it or not America, but we're all capable of moving on...besides I don't think any of us had the relationship you two obviously have," Kriss responds. "Now, will you answer Marlee's question because you have to spill. It's a rule."

"Alright, alright...Maxon is...very attentive, and very good. Just like everything else he does. IS that good enough." Again the girls laugh and blush and I turn my attention to Bariel.


We stayed up for several more hours playing games and talking, but eventually everyone fell asleep. I wake up in the middle of the night and reach over for Maxon only to remember that I'm sleeping on a small mattress by myself in a room full of girls. I try to go back to sleep, but give up after an hour of tossing and turning. I quietly get up and make my way to the garden.

Stepping outside, I'm comforted by the breeze that comes with late fall in Angeles. I make my way to the bench only to find it's already occupied. I walk up and take seat next to the small girl with her eyes trained on the stars.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask as I sit down.

Brice jumps a little at the sound of my voice, but eagerly crawls into my lap when she realizes who I am. "I had a bad dream, and I wanted to come look at the stars."

"Does anyone know you're out here?"

She nods. "Maxon brought me out here. He went to go get me a glass of warm milk. He said that will help me sleep."

As if on cue, Maxon returns with two glasses of milk.

"I guess none of us can sleep tonight, hmm?"

Brice eagerly reaches for the glass and Maxon hands it to her as he takes the empty seat next to us. Brice sips on her drink contentedly, lazily gazing at the stars.

"Why am I here?" she asks eventually.

"What?" I ask, shifting her slightly so I can get a better look at her face.

"Why am I here? There aren't any other kids living here, and I don't get to go to anything. Plus, you said that I couldn't tell anybody that I'm living here...why is it a secret?"

I look at Maxon and he sighs, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Brice, what if I tell you the secret? Do you promise not to tell anyone ever? Because this is pretty important."

She nods. "I promise."

"Well, my father, the king, do you remember him?" She gives him another wordless yes. "He also knew your mommy...and he loved her too. So they decided to have a baby. And that baby was you."

I could tell he wasn't sure how to put this to an eight year old, and I could also tell that is pained to him to mention his father's infidelity to his mother.

"He loved my mommy? But what about your mommy?"

"Well..." Maxon looked at me for help.

"He loved them both." I answered. "He loved Maxon's mommy and your mommy. And the good thing is that Maxon's not by himself anymore because you're his sister, he gets to have more family now."

Brice sat quietly in my lap looking into her glass of milk. "So, King Clarkson was my daddy and your daddy?" she asks looking at Maxon. Now it was his turn to nod. "But, he's gone now right? The rebels got him?"

Maxon nods again and I can see a few tears fall down his cheeks.

"Well," Brice tacks on seeing Maxon become sad, "You don't have a mommy or daddy and I don't have mommy or daddy, but I have a Maxon...and you have me." She states matter-of-factly. Maxon and I both laugh and she crawls over to Maxon's lap.

"You're right kiddo, I have you." He says into her hair and eventually she falls asleep in her brother's arms.


A/N: Wow! That was a lot! It's so fun to see all the places this story takes me and getting to tell their story is such a journey. I get so excited just to write it all down. Anyway, wipe the tears away and go about your day. 2 down 3 to go; happy reading! (Next Chapters coming tomorrow!)